Max Hermann Kloss, Geb.Jg.Rgt. 138

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keith A
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Max Hermann Kloss, Geb.Jg.Rgt. 138

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Post by keith A » 11 Jul 2014, 19:23

Just finished reading Sepp Allerberger's memoir. I am interested in the life and career of Max Hermann Kloss (1917-44). I know he was a Bavarian and made Leutnant in Geb.Jg.Rgt. 138 in 1938 and transferred to Geb.Jg.Rgt. 144 to command the second battalion. He was a veteran of the Lappland Front and presumably of the earlier campaigns in Poland and Norway. He won both DKiG and RK with his last unit and was killed in Hungary by an artillery shell in 1944.

My questions are those raised by a reading of the book. Allerberger seem to indicate that he joined Geb.Jg.Rgt. 144 earlier than the April date that is shown for his promotion to Major (the book and Wikipedia entry seems to indicate the transfer to have occurred in January 1944), and that he was a Hauptmann until late in 1944. Another source gives him taking over command in September 1943 at the Nikopol bridgehead. Is this just a question of vague memory for these details? I know the memoir was written several years after the war. I assume the reason for his transfer is mistaken unless he transferred earlier or was serving in another regiment. Although the regiment 138 (and the division) was allowed a period of relative inactivity in the Spring and Summer of 1943 it was heavily committed to action during the Soviet offensive that began in August 1943.

Astonishingly Kloss made a few amateur movies, one of which shows Geb.-Div 3 during a sea crossing although I am not sure of the date. You can view these via YouTube. One of the films seems to show him in Norway but this must be later in the war (there's a sequence showing an 8,8 cm Flak gun with 15-20victory rings on the barrel).

regards

Keith

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